Automatic reel for electric devices



lthats-ztilted dan., 21d, 1192?.

tlllllillflitll tilllrttfllhtlhl AUTOMATIC REEL FOR ELECTRIC DEVICES.

Application filed March 3, i921.

To all colto-m it may conce/rn.'

Be it known that l, RUDoLPiI B. Borne, a citiaen of the United States, and a resident of Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful improvement in Automatic :lcels for lilectric Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

in object of my invention is to provide a device adapted to be attached to a movable electric instrument, such as a telephone instrument or the like, to receive a portion of a flexible electrical conducting member connecting the electric instrument with a fixed connection, Wherefore such electrical conducting` member is maintained taut at all times Without interfering in any Way With the ordinary operation of the electrical instrument.

A .further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described that can be operatively attached to a telephone instrument of an ordinary construction without any extensive changes in the construction of the latter being necessary.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described that can be attached to a telephone instrument to connect the latter with a fixed connection in the manner set forth Without making use of any connecting members other than the electrically conducting cable forming a part of the standard telephone equipment.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described that is relatively simple in construction, and operation, not likely to get out of order easily, and thoroughly practical confnnercially.V

@ther objects and advantages will appear in the 'following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illust-rated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in which.

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section showing the device applied to a telephone instrument.

Figure 2 is a section along of Fig. 1,

Figure 3 is a section along the line 3-3 the line 2-2 ln carrying out my invention, l make Serial No. 449,5E.

use ot' an. ordinary telephone instrument indicated generally at 1 and' having a hollow stem 2 mounted on a hollow base Electrical conducting Wires e are disposed Within the stein, as best seen in Figure 1 and are connected in the usual manner to the several parts of the instrument, one of the wires passing through an opening 5 in the base 3 and being connected at 6 to the rcceiver of the instrument.

The parts described so far are ordinary in construction and form no part of my invention except in so far as they cooperate with the parts to be described hereinafter. The usual base plate (not sho-Wn) is removed frein the base 3 and a vertically disposed stub shaft 7 is secured in the position shown by means of a. bracket S, the connection being effected by means of a bolt 9. il disk 1() formed of any suitable insulating material, such as an indurated fiber, is mounted on the shaft 7. The reel, consisting of an insulating disk 11 having a hub 12 and a second insulating disk 13 secured to the hub. by means of screws 14 to provide a space between the disks 11 and 13 for the reception of a flexible cable 16 is mounted' on the shaft 7 for rotation thereabout. rlhe flexible cable 16 passes through an opening 17 in the disk 13 that communicates with a passage 18 in the hub 12 and is then Wound into convolutions disposed on the reel. A frame 19 formed of a flat bar mounted intermediate its length on the outer end of the stub shaft 7 is bent as shown, the ends thereof overlying the disk 10, which is held in a fixed relation therewith by bolts 21 extending through the disk 10, the frame 19, and engaging with brackets depending from a tiiibular member 23 arranged to enter the lower end of the stem 2 and being held in adjusted position by a clamp 24. The lat-ter also engages With the bracket 8 to maintain the same in the position shown.

lt will thus be observed that the disk 10 is held against rotation and constitutes a stator that is positioned along the shaft 7 a spaced distance from the reel which forms the rotor of the device. A spring 25 mounted on the stub shaft below the disk 11 has its inner end secured to the shaft 7, While the outer end thereof is secured to a post 25. The latter is fastened to the disk 11 adjacent the outer edge thereof.

lt Will be noted that three of the electrilill cal conducting wires d are connected to the binding posts 26, 27 and 2S that project upwardly from the disk 10. The binding posts 26, 27 and 2S connect with concentric circular contact disks 2), 3() and 3l, respectively, that are secured to the under side oit' the insulating disk 10. Brushes and 34 secured to the disk 13 by means ot' screws 35 or the like are arranged to constantly contact. with the contact disks 29, 30 and 3l, re* speetively.'

A plurality of electrical conducting wires 36 connected with the brushes 32, 33 and 34 are arranged to forni the flexible cable 16 that is disposed on the'rcel. The cable 1 6 passes through an opening 39 in the cylindrical portion 37 of a housing having a base 38 fitting tliecylindrical` portion 37' and secured in liXed posit-ion by means ot screws 40 engaging the frame 19 and a screw 20 that engages the stub shaft 7. The lexible cable is extended to connect with a fixed connection (not shown) such as the electrical conducting means fastened in the wall for use with the ordinary telephone equipment.

From the foregoing description ot the Various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. The telephone instrument l may be positioned at varying distances from the tiXed connection. As the dista-nce is increased, the flexible cable l'will beI unwound from the reel which is rotated' against the action o't the spring 25. llVhen the distance is decreased, the action of the spring 25 will rotate the reel to take up` the slack and hold the flexible cable tautat all times. It will be apparent that the'brusli'es 32, 33 and 3d will be maintained in constant engagement with the contact disks 29, 30 and 31 during the rotation oil" the reel and that consequently the How of electric current from the wires 36 along the brushes, the contact disks, the binding posts, and along 'the electri'fal conduct-ing wires t to the several parts ot' the telephone instrument to operate the same in the ordinary manner is u1'1in1peded. tlerriee is therel'ore uninterrupted during the movement ol the instrument to which the device is applied from place to place, the extent ol movement being limited only by the length o'' the ilexible cable lt and the sire ot the, reel.

l claim:

l. rlhe combination with a telephone comprising a hollow stem fashioned into a hollow base, of a traine carried hy said stem, a stub shalit carried by said trame, a spring actuated insulating reel rotatably mounted on said shalt` a statimiary insulating disrcarried by said 'trainer` a plurality ol' con centric conducting rings carried hy said dise, electric tcrininahA in electrical connertion with said rings, spring` contars carried by said rcel and being adapted to engage said rings, and wires eonnerted to said spring contacts and adapted to ne wound on said reel.

2. The combination with a telephone comprising a hollow stem fashioned into a hollow base., of a frame carried by said stem, a stub shat't carried by said trame` a spring actuated insulating` reel rotatably mounted on said shaft, a stationam7 insulating disc carried by said ilraine, a plurality ot concentric conducting rings carried by said disc, electric terminals in electrical connection with said rings, spring contacts carried hy said reel and being adapted to engage said rings, wires connected to said spring contacts and adapted to be wound on said reel` and a. casing received in said hollow hase and beingsecured to said frame.

RUDOLPH BOARDMAN BOYL'N. 

